"April 24, 1307, For Matthew de Mount Martin. The King to all bailiffs, &c., greeting. Know ye that of our special grace we have granted and given license, on behalf of ourselves and our heirs, as much as in us lies to our beloved and faithful Matthew de Mount Martin, to enclose and crenellate his manse [mansum suum] of Burn, in the county of Sussex, with a wall of stone and lime, and may hold that manse so enclosed and crenellated for himself and his heirs for ever without penalty or impediment from us or our heirs, justiciaries, sheriffs, or others, our bailiffs or officers whosoever. In witness whereof, &c. Dated Carlisle, 24 April"
Granted at Carlisle, by privy seal.
In 1307 Matthew de Mount Martin was granted a licence to crenellate his manse of Burn (now Westbourne). The site has not been located.
Original source is
(In fact, the original source given is usually a transcription/translation of what are precious medieval documents not readily availably. It should be noted that these transcription/translations often date to the nineteenth or early twentieth centuries and that unwitting bias of transcribers may affect the translation. Care should also be taken to avoid giving modern meaning to the medieval use of certain stock words and terms.)
Significant later source are;
I've not been able to identify Matthew. An Edward (Odard) de Monte Martini was a clerk to the king and John de Monte Martini was Prior at Lewes at this time. Mattheo de Monte Martini seems to have been paid 70 marks of a debt to the king in 1305. (Williard, p. 88) Edward I was laid up at Lanercost Priory dying and in pain so probably not much involved in the licence.
Biographical source include;
More details about licences to crenellate can be found here.
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